Tampon



, J. -MULLAN Jan. 27, 1 970 TAMPON 'Filed June 29, 1967 FIG. 7.

ATTORNEY JOSEPH MULLAN ZZZ United States Patent 3,491,758 TAMPON Joseph Mullan, 217 Northway, Baltimore, Md. 21218 Filed June 29, 1967, Ser. No. 650,081 Int. Cl. A61f 13/20 US. Cl. 128-285 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An internal hollow vaginal tampon having one end open and its opposite end closed that is pervious to the flow of a liquid into the open end thereof. The tampon being constructed of absorbent material surrounding the opening and a withdrawal cord attached thereto and extending outwardly from the closed end thereof.

SPECIFICATION This invention relates to that general class of catemenial devices known as tampons or to such sanitary protective devices worn internally by women during the menstrual period.

In recent times it has become increasingly popular with women to use protective devices during the period of menstruation which may be worn internally, i.e., inserted directly into the vaginal canal, to absorb the menstrual flow and thus eliminate the need for belts, pins and bulky pads with their inherent discomfort and inconvenience.

Such internally worn devices or tampons do offer many advantages but because of their relatively small size often have been found to be limited in capacity to absorb thus making frequent changes necessary. It is therefore one object to produce such a device which will have considerably more capacity to absorb than those previously produced.

It is another object to produce such a tampon which is relatively easy to insert and use.

It is still another object to produce a tampon which may be readily produced by known methods and existing machinery which will make them immediately available at a reasonable price.

The above and other objects and advantages will becom more apparent from the detailed description which follows and in which reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a tampon in accordance with my invention and showing the approximate position it assumes when in place in the vaginal cavity of a human female;

FIGURE 2 shows an enlarged longitudinal section of one form of the device;

FIGURE 3 is a section on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified form;

FIGURE 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of an additional modified form;

FIGURE 7 is a section taken on line 77 of FIG- URE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of still a further modified form;

FIGURE 9 is a section taken on line 99 of FIG- URE 8.

Referring specifically to FIGURES 2 and 3, the device A comprises a tubular like member preferably of circular cross sectional form, but not limited thereto, having an opening 2 extending through one end thereof to a point adjacent the opposite end, but not through the 3,491,758 Patented Jan. 27, 1970 ice opposite end. In this form the tampon is constructed of a soft semi-packed absorbent fibrous material such as absorbent cotton or other suitable absorbent material. The material is packed, or the fibers are so interwoven as to allow the material to have its full capacity in its ability to absorb a liquid and at the same time support itself as a tube. In absorbing the liquid the tampon as a whole will be expanded. The end opening of the device allows the liquid to enter the longitudinal opening and be absorbed through the walls of the longitudinal opening as well as through the outside wall surfaces of the tampon. The opening may be formed into the tampon during its construction or it may be punched out after the tampon has been formed. The opening is preferably extended to a point just shy of the opposite end, as shown at 5 in FIGURE 2, however, the opening may be formed and/or extended through the device in any well known manner. The portion 5 if desired may be made separately and inserted in the end of the opening D as shown by the dotted lines L and L' in FIGURE 2.

The device may be inserted by pressing the device in position, however, the removal is accomplished by a cord or string 4 attached thereto and extending outwardly from and beyond the closed end thereof, which may be engaged for removing the same. It will be noted that the open end is always the end toward the uterus and the removable cord always extending outwardly from the closed end and of such length as to be manually engaged as shown in FIGURE 1.

A modified form of the device is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. In the modification the device A consists of an internal sustaining member 6 in the form of a tube made of semi-rigid material such as plastic, although any material having semi-rigid properties may be used. This member 6 has a relatively great number of perforations 8 in the wall thereof rendering it pervious to the flow of fluid therethrough.

The tube 6 is surrounded by a relatively thick layer of highly absorbent material 10 such as absorbent cotton or the like which latter material also preferably extends over the end of the tube to close the one end thereof (not shown).

A withdrawal cord or string (not shown) similar to cord 4 is attached to the closed end of the device for removing the same.

In the form shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 the construction is quite similar to that just described for FIG- URES 4 and 5 except the sustaining members are in the form of a tube 14 made of semi-rigid mesh such as a mesh of stainless steel, plastic, etc. strands or filaments in criss-cross relationship. Otherwise, the device is the same as that shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. A withdrawal cord or string 4 is attached to the closed end of the device for removing the same.

The form shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 utilizes a central sustaining member 16 in the form of a helically wound strand of plastic or similar suitable semi-rigid fiber or strand similar to a spring in place of the tube, of the other two modifications. Other features of this modification are the same as those previously described.

In all of the forms shown in FIGURES 4 through 9 the outer layer of absorbent material 10 preferably extends somewhat beyond the end of the sustaining member or central tube at its open end and may also taper outwardly slightly from the central tube as shown at 10'.

FIGURE 1 generally illustrates the position the tampon assumes when it is in place within the vaginal canal. The open end 1 or 10 as the case may be is positioned adjacent the neck of the uterus 11 and the menstrual flow therefrom will enter the open end of the device and into the hollow sustaining member and thence through its 3 pervious walls and be absorbed into the absorbent material. The longitudinal opening or the hollow sustaining member in addition forms a reservoir for surplus fiow. The flow from the uterus which finds its way along the walls of the vaginal canal will be absorbed from without by the outer portions of the absorbent covering. Thus the absorbent material can more efiiciently perform its function than in conventional tampons as it receives moisture and can absorb from both within and without.

The hollow sustaining member may be used where a more definite opening of a predetermined size is desired. While the improved tarnpon may be used in combination with a conventional inserting means it is of sufficient inherent stillness to make the use of a separate inserting device unnecessary. The hollow sustaining member may also be utilized to introduce medication into the vagina canal by placing the medication into the hollow sustaining member and allowing the medication to he applied to the walls of the vagina seeping through the outer absorbent covering.

I claim: 1. A vaginal tampon comprising a semi-rigid central tubular sustaining member, said member being liquid pervious; an outer covering of soft liquid absorbent material completely enclosing the central member and extending beyond the ends thereof; the outer covering extending across and closing one end of the central member;

and a withdrawal cord attached to the closed end of the tampon.

2. A vaginal tampon as defined in claim 1 in which the central tubular sustaining member is made of semirigid material.

3. A vaginal tampon as defined in claim 2 in which the semi-rigid tubular sustaining member is in the form of a thin walled tube provided with a plurality of perforations.

4. A vaginal tampon as defined in claim 2 in which the semi-rigid tubular sustaining member is in the form of a tube composed of thin filaments woven into a mesh.

5. A vaginal tampon as defined in claim 2 in which the semi-rigid tubular sustaining member is composed of a helically wound strand.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,330,257 9/1943 Bailey a 128285 2,620,799 12/1952 Ganz 128-285 2,845,071 7/ 1958 Wade 128-285 2,884,925 5/ 1959 Meynier 128285 3,298,369 1/1967 Pirie 128285 F CHARLES F. ROSENBAUM, Primary Examiner 

